Nelson

Transportation & Maps

Visitors have a variety of options for getting to Nelson and around town.

Car Travel

Having a vehicle facilitates access to scenic driving routes, as well as the surrounding mountains and valleys for hiking and other recreational activities and things to do. Car rentals are available from the West Kootenay Regional Airport in Castlegar and in Nelson.

Air Travel

The closest airports to Nelson are the West Kootenay Regional Airport in Castlegar and Trail Regional Airport. Castlegar is 40 minutes away, while Trail is a just over an hour away.

Air Canada Jazz has daily service from Vancouver and Calgary into nearby Castlegar Airport, and an airport shuttle service is available to downtown Nelson. Pacific Coastal Airlines flies into Trail's airport. Visitors from the US often fly into Spokane, WA, rent a car and then make the three-hour drive to Nelson, or drive from the Canadian Rockies International Airport near Cranbrook, also about three hours away.

Motorcycles and RVs

With many quiet mountain roads in the area, motorcycle touring has become very popular. Riders can socialize with each other at the unique "motorcycle only" Toad Rock Campsite about 40 minutes north of town, while RVers can choose from three private/city campgrounds located within five minutes of town, or Kokanee Creek Provincial Park campground, 20 minutes to the north.

Public Transportation

Greyhound Canada operates a twice-daily scheduled bus service that connects with Vancouver and Calgary. The depot is a five-minute walk from the Prestige Lakeside Resort.

BC Transit operates regularly scheduled bus services within Nelson, and very limited service to some neighbouring communities. Gravity Adventures operates a daily ski shuttle bus from Nelson to the Whitewater Ski Resort.

Getting Around

The single lane road that follows Kokanee Creek into Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park can be navigated by most cars, but is not recommended for recreational vehicles. Access to more remote wilderness areas requires a high clearance, preferably four wheel drive vehicle.

Bicycle rentals, mostly mountain bikes, are available at the two bike shops in town.